Le 20/04/2021 à 22:57, VMSgenerations working group a écrit :
> The new subscription-based licensing mode for VMS has triggered very
> negative reactions from users.
> The end of perpetual licenses as they have been for 44 years is a big
> change.
> Users do not accept a PAK with an end-of-use date or an end of right to
> use. The risk of production stoppage is too great.
>
> VMSgenerations (French VMS users group) organized a user debate on this
> issue and the resulting digital industrial risk.
>
> As the adoption of VMS on x86 faces challenges, we hear from users
> expressing a loss of confidence in VSI as a result of this change.
>
> We have published a report of this meeting (with an English translation)
> that we invite you to read (https://www.vmsgenerations.fr/rdv-11-mar-2021/).
>
> This is the opportunity to discover the reactions of French-speaking
> users to the license change.
>
> We would be happy to hear from other VMS users about this. VSI should
> review its position on what happens at the end of subscriptions (system
> shutdown).
> Are there other ways to manage licenses without an expiration date or
> mandatory removal ? Isn't this a good time to start a discussion with VSI?
>
> VMSgenerations working group
>
Hello,

We are very happy to have sparked this discussion. We are impressed by
the number of readers and contributors.

We are a working group and it is not possible for us to respond as
quickly as individuals. But we read all contributions with the utmost
attention. And we want to respond, at our own pace.

We note that almost all contributors share our concern. The ideas
expressed in this thread often overlap with those emerging from our
discussions.

We had sent a letter to Adam Hoff-Nielsen (VSI's French-speaking contact
for Europe) and Terry Holmes. We got a reply from Terry Holmes which he
made public to the connect German group
(https://www.connect-community.de/SIGs/OpenVMS/license), without
informing us of this publication.

We have studied his reply letter. With a few exceptions, we are not
happy with the content and we are preparing a second letter which will
be sent next week. We will communicate on comp.os.vms the results of our
efforts.

We encourage all readers and contributors to this thread to activate the
channels they know to send their feedback to VSI.

We are very eager to discuss this topic and more generally about the
conditions for a successful return of VMS. You can also suggest meetings
or actions in which we would be proud to participate.

Sincerely,

The VMSgenerations Working Group

On 4/30/2021 9:27 AM, VMSgenerations working group via Info-vax wrote:

<<snip>>

>
> We had sent a letter to Adam Hoff-Nielsen (VSI's French-speaking contact
> for Europe) and Terry Holmes. We got a reply from Terry Holmes which he
> made public to the connect German group
> (https://www.connect-community.de/SIGs/OpenVMS/license), without
> informing us of this publication.

Wow. I expect C-level written communications to be near perfect. This
was not.

Also, you'll note that in the first substantial paragraph, the second
and third sentences basically say you should be using other software,
besides VMS. So the message is that those businesses which have only
used VMS should switch to something else. A business who intends to
only use one operating system may do just that, by switching away from VMS..

Up to this point, I hadn't commented, but I don't see myself now
recommending old customers move from their VMS systems on VAX to VMS on
x86. Some new salesperson can come along and sell them a solution on a
new platform.

In my opinion, support and updates/upgrades are separate from a license
to use a production. I reject the notion of having to keep paying just
to keep using. Past customers have always, without exception, wanted
stability. They have wanted to choose when to ask for new features or
performance. They have always been willing to pay for support at the
time it was required. Maybe this is because those customers are small
businesses. Maybe VSI doesn't want to sell to small businesses.

On 4/30/2021 12:27 PM, VMSgenerations working group wrote:
> Le 20/04/2021 à 22:57, VMSgenerations working group a écrit :
>> The new subscription-based licensing mode for VMS has triggered very
>> negative reactions from users.
>> The end of perpetual licenses as they have been for 44 years is a big
>> change.
>> Users do not accept a PAK with an end-of-use date or an end of right to
>> use. The risk of production stoppage is too great.

>> We would be happy to hear from other VMS users about this. VSI should
>> review its position on what happens at the end of subscriptions (system
>> shutdown).
>> Are there other ways to manage licenses without an expiration date or
>> mandatory removal ? Isn't this a good time to start a discussion with VSI?

> We note that almost all contributors share our concern. The ideas
> expressed in this thread often overlap with those emerging from our
> discussions.
>
> We had sent a letter to Adam Hoff-Nielsen (VSI's French-speaking contact
> for Europe) and Terry Holmes. We got a reply from Terry Holmes which he
> made public to the connect German group
> (https://www.connect-community.de/SIGs/OpenVMS/license), without
> informing us of this publication.
>
> We have studied his reply letter. With a few exceptions, we are not
> happy with the content and we are preparing a second letter which will
> be sent next week. We will communicate on comp.os.vms the results of our
> efforts.
>
> We encourage all readers and contributors to this thread to activate the
> channels they know to send their feedback to VSI.

It should be pretty clear to VSI that there are some concern about the
risk involved in expiring licenses and that the response so far is
inadequate to mitigate that risk for most users (most users do not
run nuclear power plants and similar).

They need to do something to mitigate the risk for all/most
]customers.

If that something comes with some sort of associated cost, then
so be it.

Arne

On 2021-04-30, Tad Winters <tad.vms@gmx.com> wrote:
> On 4/30/2021 9:27 AM, VMSgenerations working group via Info-vax wrote:
>
><<snip>>
>
>>
>> We had sent a letter to Adam Hoff-Nielsen (VSI's French-speaking contact
>> for Europe) and Terry Holmes. We got a reply from Terry Holmes which he
>> made public to the connect German group
>> (https://www.connect-community.de/SIGs/OpenVMS/license), without
>> informing us of this publication.
>
>
> Wow. I expect C-level written communications to be near perfect. This
> was not.
>

Past experience leaves me "Not surprised". :-(

Simon.

--
Simon Clubley, clubley@remove_me.eisner.decus.org-Earth.UFP
Walking destinations on a map are further away than they appear.